


Crossing The Invisible Line

by Boopoopeedoo



Series: AU-gust 2020 [8]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Alternate Universe - Magic, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Meet-Cute, Protective Vision (Marvel), Skinny Dipping, Sweet Vision (Marvel), Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Wanda Maximoff Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-28
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:47:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26155984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Boopoopeedoo/pseuds/Boopoopeedoo
Summary: Magic/Hogwarts AU, written for AU-gust day 30.Wanda is distraught when her twin brother is sorted into Gryffindor, and she into Slytherin, on their first night at Hogwarts.She feels alone, until an unlikely friendship with Vision, a Hufflepuff, brings her out of her shell. It is a connection that shapes their school years, and beyond.
Relationships: Wanda Maximoff/Vision
Series: AU-gust 2020 [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1862974
Comments: 26
Kudos: 83





	1. The Baby Badger In The Snake-Pit

**Author's Note:**

> AN: Written for day 30 of AU-gust. Magic AU. Mostly M-rated for caution.

Wanda Maximoff was completely prepared for her first year at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She had all her things packed, had unpacked and re-packed twice to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything.

Checked and double checked the date and time on her train ticket, even though she knew it was the same every year.

Her twin, Pietro, had taken a rather easy-going approach to packing, and teased his sister over her over-zealous preparations. Wanda had almost thrown 'A History Of Magic' at his head in response, until Laura stepped in to defuse the situation, praising her for being so organised. Laura Barton and her husband, Clint, had taken the twins in after their parents had been killed in the Second Wizarding War.

Clint had also praised Wanda for her organisation, as he had been in quite the mess the night before his own first trip on the Hogwarts Express. However, he also, jokingly, pointed out that the really important thing was that they didn't end up in the wrong House, or they might be disowned.

While Laura, a very proud Hufflepuff, turned her attention away from the twins to playfully punch her Gryffindor husband's arm, and berate him for his comment, Wanda, still slightly annoyed with Pietro, snatched his Potions Kit and hid it in her own trunk.

There was no 'wrong' house. That was a lesson drummed into all potential Hogwarts students nowadays, although some minor prejudices still remained.

It had never mattered much to Wanda what House she ended up in. Whatever happened, she would always be with her brother, and that was the way she wanted it, even when he drove her insane.  
\--

Wanda spent the first part of her trip on the Hogwarts Express squeezed into a crowded compartment with Pietro, and a gaggle of new friends he had seemed to make almost instantly. Wanda, unlike her brother, was not all that social, so she tried to spend the time reading the first few chapters of each of her school books to give herself a head start, with the cage of her owl, Gamora (Only hers, the Bartons didn't think Pietro was responsible enough yet for a pet of his own) tucked between her legs.

Eventually, however, the noise became too much for her to handle. Annoyed, Wanda stowed her book back into her trunk, gathering up both it, Gamora's cage, and a few sweets before moving to another, hopefully quieter compartment, stopping only briefly to slip a chocolate frog down the back of Pietro's shirt.

Making her way down through various other compartments packed to the brim with chatty young Witches and Wizards, Wanda eventually found one that was empty save for a small, slightly scruffy looking First Year boy with golden hair and bright blue eyes.

A book lay open beside him, suggesting that he had had the same idea as Wanda, but he had clearly become distracted, playing with a small kitten, it's fur the shade of grey that cat people referred to as Blue.

"Hey" Wanda asked, gesturing to the seat across from him, "Can I sit here?"

The boy jumped, slightly startled, but nodded.

"Y-Yes, of course.. Is it your First Year too?"

"Yeah" Wanda confirmed as she sat down, now with enough room to place Gamora's cage in the seat beside her. Because Laura would have wanted her to be polite, Wanda introduced herself. "I'm Wanda Maximoff."

"Vision Jarvis" The boy replied. "Nice to meet you."

"You too.." Wanda quickly retrieved her book and opened it, intending to shut the door on further conversation, and Vision, unbothered by this, turned his attention back to the kitten. She read for a few minutes, but became distracted by the kitten prancing about in her peripheral vision. She couldn't help noticing that it walked with a limp, and had a small scar across one eye. "What happened to your cat?"

"I don't actually know" Vision shrugged. "She's only been my cat for a few hours. I found her in the front garden at my Orphanage as I was leaving for King's Cross, and we're allowed a cat at Hogwarts, so I thought, why not?"

"I see.." Wanda returned to her book. She wasn't as affected as you might think by meeting a fellow orphan. There were plenty of orphans about after the Second Great Wizarding War, and it was a sad but inescapable reality that not all of them had people to take them in.

"Whoa, careful little one" Vision scooped up his kitten as she attempted to get a little too familiar with Gamora's cage, and blushed when his stomach suddenly rumbled.

Wanda, looking up from her book once more, realised that he probably hadn't been able to afford anything from the trolley, and it didn't look like he'd brought anything else with him.

"Here" She offered Vision her sweets.. Two chocolate frogs, a liquorice wand, and a half empty pack of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. She'd really only taken them to annoy Pietro. "But don't stuff yourself.. the Welcome Feast is supposed to be huge."  
\--

They didn't speak much for the rest of the trip, but the silence between them was not awkward or uncomfortable.

When the Hogwarts Express reached it's destination, Wanda was unable to locate Pietro among the crowds of students disembarking the train, or the rest of the First Years as they were called to the boats for the trip across the lake, so, not wanting to be alone, she remained with Vision.

He was very gentlemanly for an eleven year old, offering a hand to help Wanda safely into the boat. Once they reached the shore, heading into The castle for the first time, Wanda spotted Pietro, and hurried to join her brother.

"Bye!" Vision waved. "Maybe we'll be in the same House!"

"Yeah.. Maybe" Wanda replied, but she doubted it. That kid was a teddy bear, and she.. she was not.  
\--

Although she had her brother by her side again, Wanda found herself surprised by just how nervous she was as she was waiting in line for her sorting. The line grew shorter as each new student joined their House, to the claps and cheers of their new Housemates.

"Jarvis, Vision!"

Wanda looked up at the familiar name, seeing her unlikely new friend nervously hurried forward and perched on the stool. The decision was made just a few seconds after the Sorting Hat slipped over his eyes.

**"HUFFLEPUFF!" ******

********

Wanda wasn't surprised. She'd had Vision pegged as Hufflepuff the second she'd walked into that compartment and seen him playing with his kitten. That wasn't meant as an insult of course. She had a lot of respect for Hufflepuffs, especially since she was being raised by one.

Vision stopped to wave at Wanda as he headed to the Hufflepuff table, and Wanda, strangely, felt herself blush. No, Wanda Maximoff did not blush over boys. She had much more important things to worry about. The Great Hall had just gotten warmer, that was all.

More students were sorted, and then, Finally, Pietro's name was called. He rushed forward, free of the nerves that had been plaguing his sister.

The hat took a little longer than it had with Vision, but soon enough..

**"GRYFFINDOR!" ******

****

Pietro punched the air, rushing over to join their table, and Wanda noticed a few of his new friends were already there.

Gryffindor, hmm? Wanda supposed it would do, and Clint would be proud.

"Maximoff, Wanda!"

Wanda strode over to the stool, fully expecting to join Pietro at the red-And-gold decorated table in the next few moments. The Sorting Hat slipped over Wanda's eyes.

_"Well, Hello." ___

____

Wanda almost jumped when she heard the Hat speak inside her head, and hoped no one had seen.

"H-Hello.."

_"Let's see.. my, you have some big plans for yourself, don't you? What else? You like to play a few tricks.." ___

____

"O-Only on my brother.."

_"I don't judge, Maximoff, I only sort, and I know exactly where to put you.." ___

____

"W-Where?" Wanda suddenly grew more nervous, and then..

**"SLYTHERIN!"  
\--**

Wanda felt numb, almost stumbling as the Hat was removed from her head and she was gently nudged from the stool to make room for the next student.

As much as Gryffindor hadn't really felt like the right fit for her, Wanda had never dreamed that she'd be in a different House to her twin, and definitely not the one that was the historic rival of his. Wanda forced her feet to move, taking a seat beside another Slytherin First Year ("Johnson, Daisy!") who had been sorted shortly after Vision. The other girl had greeted Wanda quite cheerily, but Wanda, still in shock, could only nod.

She didn't really listen as the Headmaster spoke, didn't eat much at the Feast. She followed, moving on auto-pilot as the Slytherin Prefects, Loki and Natasha, rounded up the First Years to guide them down to the Common Room. They passed the Hufflepuffs on the way, and Vision waved. Wanda barely registered his presence.

And when she curled up in her bed in the First Year Dormitory, away from her brother for the first time in her life, Wanda screwed her eyes shut, trying not to cry.  
\--

The following morning, Pietro happily jumped up to greet Wanda when she passed by the Gryffindor table on her way to Breakfast, asking how her first night had gone. She could see that he was coping with their separation much better than she was, having already bonded with the other Gryffindor First Year boys. Pietro had always been better at making friends than she had.

Wanda forced a smile for her brother, a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, and promised him her night had been fine. Pietro, who had never been overly observant, grinned, glad to believe her happy, and said he'd see her the next morning for Herbology, which the Gryffindors and Slytherins would be taking together that year, and that they should make plans to meet up next time their free periods synced.

Wanda agreed, still keeping her smile in place, and continued on her way to the Slytherin table. She didn't notice the concerned expression on the face of a kind Hufflepuff boy as she passed by.  
\--

Wanda scraped through her first two classes for the day (Transfiguration and History of Magic), with the reading ahead she'd done before arriving at Hogwarts saving her from appearing as though she wasn't paying attention when called on.

After, she decided to skip out on lunch, and take some time to herself to try and clear her head, and deal with all her feelings about her current situation. She headed down into the Dungeon, but when she reached the entrance to the Common Room, though she knew the password (Hinkypunk) perfectly well, she couldn't bring herself to say it, somehow feeling like saying it, like entering the Slytherin Common Room alone, was the same as accepting that she belonged somewhere her brother did not, that they were meant to be separated, and Wanda wasn't ready to do that, not yet. So, Wanda moved away from the entrance, sitting down on the cold stone floor of the corridor.

She didn't cry, but she definitely cut a sad figure, sitting there all on her own. However, she wasn't there alone for long before she heard feet coming down the corridor. She was about to jump up, thinking of how embarrassing it would be to have one of her Housemates find her in this state.. But it was only Vision, his kitten limping playfully behind him, now wearing a collar with a small star-shaped pendant. Already feeling comfortable around the boy for some strange reason, Wanda relaxed, sitting back down.

"You've made a wrong turn" She told him, pointing. "The entrance to the Hufflepuff Common Room is back that way, past the Kitchens.."

"I know" said Vision, sitting beside her. He looked a bit less scruffy than he had on the train, but his robes were clearly just a little too big on him. "I came looking for you."

"Why?" Wanda frowned.

"Well, you weren't at lunch.. and you looked a bit upset this morning at breakfast, so I thought someone should come check that nothing was wrong.." Vision explained. The kitten jumped into his lap. Wanda could now see the name 'Nebula' on the pendant. "So.. what are you upset about? If it's about being in Slytherin, I don't think anyone really believes the stuff about Slytherin being the evil House anymore.. and the colour kinda goes nicely with your eyes, there's always that.."

Wanda opened her mouth, initially intending to snap at him, but the comment about here eyes had taken her off guard. Instead, she suddenly found herself spilling her guts, including, maybe, the real reason she was so worried about being away from Pietro.

"It's nothing to do with the House itself" She sighed. "Before I got here, if I'm being completely honest, Slytherin is probably the House I identified with most. The problem is that I'm not in the same House as my twin brother.. He's always been so much better at making friends than I am, so his friends have always been my friends too, but without him.."

"Oh.." Vision thought for a moment. "Well, you'll have at least one class with the Gryffindors, right? Your brother can introduce you to his friends then. And you and I are kind of friends.. we have Potions together next. I'll sit with you so you aren't lonely."

"Sweet of you to offer, but everyone sits with their own House, even in mixed classes."

"That's not a rule though, is it?"

"Well.. no" Wanda frowned. "It's just the way things are."

"But if there's no rule, then there's nothing stopping me from sitting with you" Vision responded, "So I will." He stood up, scooping up the kitten. "I have to take Nebula back to my common room and fetch my books, but I'll see you in class, Okay?"

"Yeah, okay.." Wanda watched Vision go, with his kitten and his oversized robes, his small chest puffed out in the proudest display of the Hufflepuff emblem that she had ever seen, and had a sudden, unpleasant vision of a baby badger falling into a snake-pit.

For all his good intentions, Vision would probably realise something similar as soon as he stepped into the Potions Classroom. He wouldn't sit with her.. but it really had been a sweet gesture. She sighed, and stood up. It was time to fetch her own books.

"Hinkypunk.."  
\--

Soon afterwards, Wanda headed down to the Dungeons for her potions lesson and took a seat. All the other students were sitting down as well, divided by House as she knew they would be. And although she knew he was not actually going to sit with her, she couldn't help looking for Vision, a little concerned when she saw no sign of him.. until she felt a tap on her shoulder, looked up, and there he was.

"Excuse me" He said, "May I sit here?"

And even though a part of her still worried that this was a bad idea, that she really should be chasing him away for his own good, Wanda felt herself smiling, and said:

"Sure."

Vision set his books down and sat beside her, his Hufflepuff yellow making him stick out like a sore thumb in the sea of emerald around him. The Slytherins eyed him suspiciously, while his fellow Hufflepuffs looked at him like he'd gone insane.

There wasn't much she could do about the Hufflepuffs, but Wanda stared her fellow Slytherin's down, daring them to say a word. She owed it to him.

He hadn't fallen into the snake-pit. He'd jumped in, head first. Only this time, one snake, the shy one no-one paid much attention to so far, rose up and bared her fangs, because no-one was touching her baby badger.

That was the moment when their friendship truly began.


	2. Inter-House Bonding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Vision at her side, Wanda settles in at Hogwarts.

Thanks to Wanda's silent but stern warning, nobody had dared say a word about Vision sitting beside her.. Although even Professor Slughorn had given them a few strange looks.

After a while, however, everyone settled down into class, and almost forgot about the little Hufflepuff sitting among the Slytherins. When the lesson ended, Wanda gathered her things and took Vision's hand, hurrying out of the Potions Classroom before anyone had time to turn their attention back to them.

Wanda couldn't help laughing a little, her mood definitely lifted compared to earlier in the day.

"I think I've got Transfiguration now.." said Vision, laughing too. Wanda's was apparently contagious.

"Charms for me. But.." Now that Wanda had a friend, her own friend, completely apart from her brother, she wasn't going to let him go too easily. "We could hang out for a little while after, if you like."

"Sure!" Vision's eyes lit up, and she suddenly got the sense that he had not had many friends either. Her Baby Badger was beginning to feel very much like a kindred spirit.

"Meet near the Great Hall after class?"

"Okay. See you then!" Vision happily hurried off.. Only for Pietro to collide with him as he came speeding around a corner, sending him sprawling to the floor.

"Pietro!" Wanda scolded her brother as she rushed over. "Watch where you're going, you could hurt someone!"

Two of Pietro's friends, a blonde boy with neatly styled hair a few shades darker than Vision's, and another boy with dark, slightly messy hair, were already helping Vision up, so Wanda set about gathering his things from the floor.

"I told him not to run so fast in the corridors.." The blonde boy frowned.

"I'm sorry" Pietro huffed. "But Wanda, I need your help. I think I left my Potions Kit at Home, but I have Potions now.."

"Oh, you didn't forget it" Wanda smirked, handing Vision's things back to him. "I have it."

"What?" Pietro yelled, annoyed.

"Maybe next time you'll think twice about making fun of your organised sister" said Wanda, giving her own Potion's Kit to her twin. "Take mine for now, I'll give yours back at Supper. See you then!" Wanda bounced off quite happily, and Vision followed for a bit, until he remembered he had a different class, and hurried away down a separate corridor.

Pietro blinked after his twin, a little surprised, as a troop of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw students filed past him on their way down to the Potions classroom. Sam, another of Pietro's new friends, raised an eyebrow.

"So.. that's the sister you were worried wouldn't fit in Slytherin?"  
\--

Vision's brave act of kindness in sitting with her in Potions had significantly boosted Wanda's confidence, and made her significantly less nervous about future inter-House interactions. As such, when the Slytherins had Herbology with Gryffindor the following Morning, she took a leaf from her Baby Badger's book, putting on her big girl robes and joining a table full of Gryffindors, including her brother and his friends, and another blonde-haired girl she didn't recognise.

Pietro, a little bit clueless about the more subtle aspects of social interaction, eagerly gave her an official introduction to his friends. Steve Rogers and James 'Bucky' Barnes, the boys who had helped Vision up the day before, Wanda recognised from the train, but the third, Sam Wilson, was new to her. They had all been polite enough, Steve especially so, but all seemed wary of the snake in their midst.

This was not the case for the girl, who, after Professor Sprout had finished her introduction to the class and left them to their first task, thrust out a hand for Wanda to shake, and introduced herself as Carol Danvers. Apparently, Carol wanted to make a friend in every House. Slytherin, considering the historic Slytherin/Gryffindor rivalry, had at first seemed the greatest obstacle to her plans, until she'd heard Pietro mention a twin in Slytherin.

Wanda had chuckled, welcoming Carol's offer of friendship, and offered to introduce her to a Hufflepuff.

While it had taken the boys a bit more time to adjust to Wanda's presence, they eventually did so, and it wasn't long before the shy snake had a whole Pride to watch her back on those days she decided to step into the lion's den.

On another occasion, Wanda befriended Scott Lang, a slightly quirky Ravenclaw boy, when she had saved his toad, Luis, after it had fallen off of his shoulder during one of their early Flying classes.

\--  
However, Wanda's first, and soon to be closest friend was most definitely Vision. A bond had formed between the two that already seemed unlikely to ever be broken.

They would meet during their Morning break, and every afternoon after class, to hang out, do some homework or study together. If they were studying, Pietro and his friends would sometimes join them, usually because Steve had encouraged him to get some work done. Wanda was grateful for Steve, and Bucky too, as they seemed to be a good influence on her brother. Sam was a little more mischievous, but not nearly on the level that Pietro could be.

Wanda would check in with Pietro a few times a day, and they made sure to spend time together a couple of times a week, but as time went on, Wanda became more comfortable with being independent from her brother. It was really just a natural part of growing up.  
\--

Wanda and Vision spent most of their time together on the weekends as well. It became a regular sight to see the Shy Snake with her Baby Badger following along behind her. Some gave them strange looks occasionally, but they quickly stopped caring what anyone else thought.

They would play Wizard's chess or Gobstones in the Great Hall, or if the weather was decent, as it happened to be on that particular day, out by the lake.

They'd usually bring their pets too. Gamora the Screech Owl and Nebula the kitten had formed an unlikely friendship of their own, fluttering and pouncing and tussling while their owners played. Wanda and Vision were initially concerned that this game would become dangerous as Nebula grew, but both seemed to know their limits.

Wanda had needed to teach Vision how to play Gobstones.

"We're not allowed to have them at the orphanage" He had explained, the first time they'd played. "They worry the really little kids might swallow them.."

However, he'd mastered the game quite quickly, and on that day, probably the last mild day before the weather would start to cool in the lead up to Christmas, Vision had beaten Wanda for the first time. Wanda laughed as she was squirted with foul-smelling goo.

"You did it, Vizh! You beat me!"

"I did!" Vision grinned, but was already handing Wanda a handkerchief to wipe her face. He glanced at Gamora and Nebula playing nearby, and the grin faded a little. "Wanda, can I ask you a favour?"

"What favour?" Wanda asked, curious.

"I know it's a while off, but I think it's best to get it sorted early.. I'm staying at Hogwarts for Christmas, so that's not a problem, but.. do you think that maybe you could take Nebula home with you over the Summer? I don't think they'll let me have her at the orphanage.."

"Oh.." Wanda felt a pang of sympathy for her friend. Nebula meant a lot to him. "Of course I'll take her, Vizh. She'll be safe with Pietro and me."

Vision grinned and hugged her, and Wanda happily returned the hug.

Now she just had the rest of the school year to find a way to explain to Clint and Laura why she had an extra animal next Summer..


	3. On Your Side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wanda makes a powerful friend, and she and Vision make plans for Christmas.

After leaving Vision for the day, Wanda made up her mind to send a letter to the Bartons right away, preparing her guardians in advance for the fact that they may have an extra animal to care for that coming Summer. With Gamora already on her arm, Wanda made a quick stop by the Slytherin Common room to fetch some parchment, ink, and a quill.

The Common room was mostly empty but for a few older students doing homework, including the female Slytherin Fifth-Year Prefect, Natasha Romanoff.

"Hey" said Natasha, startling Wanda, who wasn't expecting any sort of acknowledgement from the older girl, "You're the girl everyone gossips about. The one who's besties with the little Hufflepuff.

"What's it to you?" Wanda bristled. She knew the gossip occurred, and she now mostly ignored it, but she couldn't pretend it didn't bother her, a little.

"Hey, no judgement here" Natasha raised her hands. "In fact, I say good on you. You know, my best friend is Bruce Banner, the Ravenclaw Prefect.."

"Yeah.." Well, Wanda didn't actually know, but she'd seen the pair chatting in the Library once or twice, so it wasn't too difficult to work out. However, she didn't understand why Natasha was telling her this. While inter-house best-friendships were relatively rare (though less so now than before the war), they were not unheard of, and a Slytherin/Ravenclaw pair was nowhere near as odd as a Slytherin and a Hufflepuff.. Not that Wanda cared what anyone else thought.

"Well, let me tell you a little secret, kid. Something I'm pretty sure no-one else knows."

"What?" Wanda gulped, slightly nervous and not entirely sure what to expect when Nat tugged her into the small corridor leading to the dorms, out of earshot of the few other students. Gamora fluttered, still perched on her arm.

"Bruce was almost a Hufflepuff" said Natasha.

"Huh?" Wanda blinked. She didn't know what she'd been expecting Nat to say, but it definitely wasn't that.

"He was a hat-stall" The older girl continued, tucking a lock of red hair behind her ear. "Just a minor one, only a few minutes, but he took longer than anyone else in our year. The Sorting Hat was stuck between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, until Bruce spouted something about making the most logical decision, and so the hat picked Ravenclaw. I understand why he was nearly Hufflepuff though, all the traits are in him.."

"Right.." Wanda was still confused. "Um, why are you telling me this?"

"Bruce only told me the Hat story last summer, after we got our Prefect badges" Nat continued. "Like he was worried I'd look at him differently once he told me. It sucks that he thought that, and it hurts, a little.. But the worst bit is that I get why he was worried. Slythers and Puffs.. you don't usually see them hanging out that often."

"I know that" Wanda huffed. "But.."

"Let me finish, kid. I'm on your side. What Bruce told me.. it made me think. The Houses.. they shouldn't matter as much as they do. My point is, if anyone bothers you and your little Hufflepuff.."

"Vision."

"Right. Well, if anyone ever does bother you and Vision, just know that you've got a Prefect to back you up.. and between you and me" Natasha winked, "Us Slytherins know all the best hexes."

Wanda relaxed then, laughing.

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind."  
\--

Departing the Slytherin Common Room in a rather good mood after her unexpected but welcome conversation with Natasha, Wanda headed up to the Owlery, giving Gamora a treat before sending her off with her letter Home.

Wanda had written quite a lot about Vision in the letter. She had mentioned him before, but she figured that if Clint and Laura knew his whole story, it would be more difficult for them to say no to her request that they look after his much-loved pet over Summer.

Gamora returned at Breakfast the following Morning, and Wanda rewarded her with a scrap of bacon from her plate before sending her back to the Owlery. However, instead of leaving the Great Hall, Wanda watched her pet flutter over and land at the Hufflepuff table, where Vision smiled, scratched the owl's head, and offered her another handful of breakfast scraps. When Gamora flew off, Vision turned towards Wanda and waved, grinning.

Wanda waved back, chuckling, then opened her letter, immediately recognising Laura's handwriting. She had replied that they would be happy to care for Nebula over Summer. However, that was a while off. Christmas was relatively soon, and if her new little friend wanted, he was very welcome to come spend the holiday with them.

Wanda looked over at Vision, who seemed as lonely at his House Table as she usually was at hers, and smiled.  
\--

Wanda sat through her first class of the day a little distracted, until she was able to catch up with Vision at morning break.

"Hey, Vizh" she grinned, tapping his shoulder.

"Hello, Wanda" He turned to face her, smiling. "Good class?"

"I don't know, I was a little distracted.. But I have good news! Laura says I can keep Nebula over Summer."

"You can? That's brilliant!" Vision's eyes lit up. Knowing that Nebula had somewhere safe to go when he returned to the Orphanage at the end of the School year was a great comfort to him.

"She also asked if you wanted to spend Christmas with us?"

"Christmas?" Vision's heart leapt.

"It's okay if you'd rather not" Wanda blushed. "I know Christmas at Hogwarts is supposed to be pretty cool.."

"I know it is, but.." Vision blushed himself, "I think it would be much more fun to spend it with you."

"Great!" Wanda's own eyes lit up. "I'll write back to Laura and tell her you're coming. If I go now, I can make it to the Owlery before break ends.. See you in Potions, Vizh!"

"Yeah.. See you" Vision watched Wanda hurry off, then headed back down towards the Hufflepuff Common Room with a spring in his step, a bright smile spreading over his face.

For the first time ever, he had somewhere to go for Christmas.


	4. Tales On The Train

As the Christmas break approached, Vision grew slightly nervous, as though he was half expecting the invitation to be revoked. He would have understood, an extra child at Christmas was quite a burden for any family, let alone one that had already taken in two orphans. However, while one of Wanda's letters from home did make mention of Vision's Christmas visit, it was only to ask what he liked to eat, and one other thing that Wanda wouldn't tell him.

So, the day before all the students going home for Christmas were set to depart, Vision packed his trunk with everything he would need for the break, and the following morning, he loaded Nebula into her basket and hopped into an invisibly led carriage with Wanda and Pietro, as well as Sam and Carol, who were also heading home for the holiday. They were waved off by Steve, Bucky, and Scott, who were all staying behind at Hogwarts.

They rode to the Station, where the Hogwarts Express was waiting for them once more. Though he had been raised at an orphanage, Vision had also been raised with good manners and proper etiquette, so he helped Wanda and Carol fetch their trunks, Gamora's cage, and the carrier containing Carol's cat, Goose before he retrieved his own.

Wanda tried not to feel jealous when Carol smiled at him in thanks. Wanda wasn't possessive, not at all, but.. Vision was her best friend. No-one else's.  
\--

While they all shared a compartment to begin with, the rowdiness of the Gryffindors bothered a certain little cat, and so, the formerly Shy Snake, her Baby Badger, and their pets retreated to a quieter location. Thankfully, with a lot less students riding the train this time of year, this was not nearly as difficult as it was at the beginning or end of the year.

When the Trolley Lady passed by, despite Vision's protests, Wanda bought them each a Pumpkin Pasty, and a pack of Bertie Botts to share, while they happily chatted about the coming Holiday. Vision, who could not remember celebrating Christmas anywhere but at the Orphanage, had quite a few questions.

"Do you have a tree?" He bit into his pasty. "We stopped putting one up at the orphanage after the little kids kept trying to eat the decorations.

"We do" Wanda nodded. "We usually decorate it together.. the kids have started decorating around the bottom, but Clint and Laura said they're waiting on us to do the rest."

"They are?"

"Mmmhm.. we're gonna have so much fun! Decorating the tree, opening presents.." Wanda grinned.

"It sounds wonderful" Vision managed a smile, not wanting to ruin Wanda's excitement, but he doubted that he would be receiving any presents.

"And Laura makes a great Christmas lunch. Not as big as the Hogwarts Feast, obviously, but it will be delicious, I promise.." Wanda continued. "I think Laura's really looking forward to meeting you, Vizh."

"She is?" Vision seemed surprised. "Why?"

"Well, she's a Hufflepuff. Clint's a Gryffindor, now Pietro. Cooper and Lila haven't been sorted yet, obviously, but she's pretty sure they'll take after their Dad. I think she feels a bit outnumbered sometimes, so it will be nice for her to have another 'Puff around."

"What about you?" Vision nervously popped a brown bean in his mouth, relieved to find that it was chocolate pudding flavoured. "You won't feel left out, being the only Slytherin?"

"No.. well.. not really."

"Wanda, you know you can.."

Before they could discuss this any further, Carol burst into the compartment, coughing. Goose was perched atop her shoulders like a strange furry parrot.

"Pietro and Sam decided to have a fart contest.. can I hang out in here until the smell clears out?"

As much as she usually liked Carol, Wanda couldn't help feeling slightly annoyed, but it wasn't due to any jealousy over Vision, not at all. Wanda briefly considered rejecting Carol's request, but before she could say anything, Vision beat her to it.

"Of course.." He offered her the pack of Bertie Botts. "Would you like one?"

"No thanks" She replied, as she sat beside Wanda, while Goose hopped down to investigate Nebula, dozing in a basket at Vision's feet. "I've been burned by those a few too many times this year.. What's your family up to over Christmas, Vision?"

It was an innocent question, and their was no way Carol could have known her mistake, but when Vision's face fell, Wanda was just about ready to hex the Gryffindor beside her.

"Oh, I don't, um, have any Family.. I'm spending the holiday with Wanda and Pietro and their Foster Family."

"Oh.." Carol was immediately chastened. "I'm so sorry, I didn't think.."

"It's alright, I don't talk about it much.." Vision tried to reassure her."

"I'm still really sorry.." Carol looked genuinely upset by her mistake, and Wanda's expression softened a little.

"Hey, you couldn't have known" Wanda laid a hand on Carol's shoulder. "Pietro and I don't talk about our parents deaths much either."

"Sometimes its easier not to.." said Vision. "For me, Hogwarts has been a place where I can forget I'm an orphan for a bit. The one place I've ever been where it doesn't really matter."

"That's fair" Carol smiled softly. "But I do need to learn to watch my mouth a little more. I'm a first generation Half-Blood. My Mother's a muggle, so she moved us to a Muggle neighbourhood and kept me away from the worst of the war, and pretty much most of the magical world in general, until now. This is the first time I've really been able to engross myself in magic, and everything that comes with it.. I'm only just now learning how bad the War was.. So again, I'm sorry."

"I forgive you" Vision smiled. "Everyone's had a foot-in-mouth situation at least once. Most of us many times."

"Very many times.." Wanda added. "Do you still live in that Muggle Neighbourhood, Carol?"

"Yeah" Carol replied. "Why?"

"Well, if you need to get away during Summer, you can come visit my place.. I'll already have Vision over."

"You will?" Vision was surprised once again.

"Sure. You're my best friend, Vizh. Everyone has their best friend to visit during Summer."

Vision wasn't sure his orphanage would allow such a visit, but he didn't want to ruin Wanda's good mood. She was his best friend too, after all. So, he simply smiled, munching some more beans as they settled in to enjoy the rest of the train ride.


	5. The First Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vision is welcomed into the Barton House.

Despite the constant reassurances from Wanda that her foster family would like him, Vision was nervous as he disembarked the train with Wanda and Pietro, while their friends quickly scattered in search of their own families.

Vision, clutching his trunk, with Nebula's basket perched atop it, gulped, and Wanda grabbed his sleeve, tugging him in the direction of a man with dirty-blond hair who seemed to have been waiting for them.

The man, Clint of course, was currently ruffling Pietro's hair and congratulating him on his sorting into Gryffindor, so as she and Vision moved closer, it was Wanda's turn to grow slightly nervous. Clint turned away from Pietro to give Wanda his full attention, his expression softening. Pietro was more like him in a lot of ways, but of his two foster children, Clint had always held an extra special soft spot for Wanda.

"Slytherin's a great House, kiddo. It means you're not going to let anyone stop you getting where you want to go. We're proud of you."

"You are?" said Wanda hopefully.

"We are" Clint smiled. "Now, where's my hug?" Wanda grinned, letting go of Vision's sleeve to run into Clint's arms. Clint's eyes soon drifted over to the nervous Vision. "And who have we got here?"

"This is Vision, my best friend" Wanda happily introduced him, and Vision blushed in response.

"H-Hello, Mr. Barton, S-Sir."

"Clint is fine" Clint fondly ruffled Vision's hair the same way he had Pietro's. Wanda was so shy that he and Laura had been quite worried about her making friends. Now, seeing Vision's similar shy nature, it was easy to see why the pair had clicked. "Let's get you kids home, Laura's very excited, you're the first friend Wanda's ever.."

"Invited for Christmas" Wanda, embarrassed, finished the sentence before Clint could.

"Yeah.. that."

"Oh.." Vision couldn't help feeling just a little pleased with himself.  
\--

Vision had never been so fussed over in his life. Laura had descended upon him almost as soon as they'd arrived at the Barton House. Seeing the shy, scruffy boy in the slightly oversized clothes, her Mother's heart immediately cried out.

"We've set you up in Pietro's room, Sweetie, but Wanda's right next door.. Dinner will be a while, but help yourself to any snacks from the Kitchen, and there's some leftover chicken for Nebula if she would like.."

"S-She would like that very much, thank you Mrs. Barton.."

"Laura, Sweetie.. Wanda, would you mind showing your friend where we keep the leftovers?"

"Okay" Wanda disentangled herself from Lila Barton's 'Welcome Home' hug to lead Vision to the Kitchen, Nebula prancing happily after them. "Come on, Vizh.."

Vision followed her, a warm, fuzzy sort of feeling growing in his heart.  
\--

Vision sat beside Wanda at dinner, both of them quiet, but happily listening to the meal-time chatter around the rest of the table. While Pietro was scraping through with decent marks in most classes, he was excelling in flying lessons, and was currently regaling the Bartons with tales of his exploits.

"Madam Hooch thinks I might be a prodigy" He grinned. "She thinks I'll be a great Seeker. The current one is graduating at the end of the year, so I'm going to try out next year. If I get in, I'll be the youngest Gryffindor seeker since Harry Potter!"

"That's great, kid" Clint grinned. He himself had been a Gryffindor Chaser in his Hogwarts years, known for almost never missing a goal. He turned to Wanda and Vision, hoping to include them in the conversation. "What about you two? Gonna try out for your House teams?"

"Uh.. I don't know.. I'm not very.." Vision blushed.

"We prefer Gobstones" said Wanda. "We might join the club, right Vizh?"

"Yes" Vision smiled, grateful for his friend's intervention. "We might."

"And that's great too" Laura dished some more food onto Vision's plate. The poor boy was quite skinny. "Not everyone is born to be a Quidditch star."

"I like Gobstones" Lila piped up.

"We'll play with you while we're here" Wanda grinned. "That'll be fun, won't it Vizh?"

"Yes" Vision smiled. "It will."  
\--

The friendly chatter continued for a while after the plates were cleared, but soon enough, Laura was ushering them all off to bed. Late that night, after Clint and Laura had also gone to sleep, Wanda woke with a start, hearing her floorboards creak. She sat up, finding Vision creeping into the room, dragging the sleeping bag and pillow that Laura had left him with.

"Vizh" Wanda breathed a sigh of relief upon realising it was only him. "You scared me."

"Sorry.." Vision murmured, as Nebula hopped up on the windowsill to sniff at Gamora's empty cage (the owl was out hunting). "I can go, I probably should go, it's just.. your brother is snoring."

"I'm not upset, Vizh" Wanda chuckled. "You can stay, just knock first next time.. and make sure you're back in Pietro's room by morning. Laura probably won't mind, but Clint might."

"Okay. Thank you." Vision set up his sleeping bag and pillow on the floor by Wanda's bed, and soon settled back down, though he didn't go to sleep right away. "Wanda?"

"Yeah, Vizh?" She whispered, settling back against her own pillow once more.

"Am I really the only friend you've ever invited for Christmas?"

"Well.." Wanda hesitated for a moment. "Actually, you're the only friend I've ever invited over full stop. I wasn't really that good at making friends, before you."

"I don't see why that would be.." Vision was confused. "You're a wonderful friend.. I'm lucky to have you."

"I think I might be the lucky one.." Wanda murmured, remembering Vision's bravery in their first Potions class. "Now let's get some sleep before somebody hears us.."

"Alright" Vision yawned. "Goodnight, Wanda."

"Goodnight, Vizh.."


	6. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wanda and Vision exchange Christmas gifts.

Vision slept peacefully in his spot beside Wanda's bed, but as he'd promised, woke early and returned to Pietro's room before anyone noticed.

Or at least, they didn't think anyone had. Vision sneaking into Wanda's room at night became routine for the rest of the holiday visit. On Christmas Eve, Laura quietly deposited both of their presents in Wanda's room, Wanda's at the foot of her bed, and Vision's at the end of his sleeping bag.

"Why'd you put the kid's presents in Wanda's room?" Clint asked, catching her on the way out.

"Because Vision is sleeping in Wanda's room" said Laura matter of factly. "I don't want him to wake up and think he's got nothing."

"What? He's supposed to be in Pietro's room!" Clint snapped, heading for Wanda's room. "That little sneak, I oughta.."

"You take another step, Clint Barton, and I'll put a body-bind curse on you" Laura warned. "You know how good I am at those."

"But.." Clint hesitated.

"They're eleven, Clint. It's all innocent still at their age. And he leaves first thing in the morning, so it's not like they're getting changed in front of each other or anything.. not to mention" Laura added, "I seem to remember a boy who slept on my bedroom floor at least half of every Summer.."

"That's different.."

"Oh?" Laura smirked. "Just how, may I ask?"

"It just is!" Clint snapped.

"Hey, I get it. You're protective, and you've got an extra little soft spot for Wanda, you always have" Laura smiled. "But trust me when I tell you you've got nothing to worry about. They're young, sweet and innocent.. They'll most likely stop it themselves when they get older anyway.."

That was not something that ever happened, but that's a story for another day.  
\--

On Christmas morning, Vision woke early, about to get up and creep back into Pietro's room as he had every morning, when he noticed a pile of gifts at the bottom of his sleeping bag.

"Wanda!" He gently shook his friend awake. "Wanda, wake up!"

"Mmm.." Wanda stretched, yawning a little. "Morning, Vizh.. Merry Christmas."

"Wanda, there are presents on my sleeping bag!"

"Of course there are presents, it's Christmas" Wanda rubbed her eyes. Sounds of excitement from the younger Bartons could be heard down the hall.

"But they're on my sleeping bag.. they must have fallen off your pile."

"Why would you think that?"

"Well.." Vision shifted awkwardly, "I don't get presents."

Wanda's gaze softened, her heart breaking a little for her baby badger.

"You do now" She hopped out of bed, picking up one of the gifts. "Look at the tag, Vizh. Your name is on it."

"It is?" He took it, looking at the tag in disbelief. "Oh, it is!"

"Yup." Wanda smiled. "As much as I'd love to snag a few extra gifts, I'm not going to steal them from my best friend."

"I have presents.." Vision glanced between the tag and the pile of gifts, still slightly disbelieving. Then, slowly, a large smile began to spread over his face. "I have presents!"

"You do.." Wanda handed him the parcel she'd been holding, suddenly a little awkward. "Open this one. It's from me.. Well, Laura made it, but it was my idea."

"Your family won't be mad?" Vision gently took the parcel.

"No.. just one can't hurt."

"Okay.." Vision sat on the end of Wanda's bed, carefully unwrapping his gift. He eventually revealed a green hand-knitted sweater, with an embroidered image of a badger and a snake, apparently playing together. "Wanda.."

"I know people look at us strangely sometimes.." Wanda murmured. "Like we're weird for being friends, or that we shouldn't be.. And I don't want you to ever worry that I think that way, Vizh, because you're my best friend, no matter what house you're in.. So I asked Laura to make that for you, and I have a red one matching.." Wanda dug through her own pile of gifts, finding the right parcel and tearing it open. "..See?"

Vision just stared at the sweater for a moment, and Wanda was worried that he didn't like her gift, but the next thing she knew, her friend was pulling her into a tight hug.

"Thank you, Wanda.. This is the nicest present anyone has ever given me."

"You mean it?" Wanda had been startled for a moment, but soon returned his hug.

"I do.." Vision smiled, eventually releasing her to immediately tug his new sweater over his head before going digging in his trunk for a small parcel that he handed to Wanda. "My gift isn't nearly as good.. Just some Chocolate Frogs.. But I wanted to get you something."

"Thank you, Vizh" Wanda chuckled, putting on her own sweater. "I do love chocolate frogs."

At that moment, Gamora fluttered through the window, returning from her nightly hunt, with two mice in her beak. One she kept for herself, but the other she dropped at Nebula's feet, the little cat meowing greatfully.

"Well.." Vision's nose wrinkled, "It looks like everyone is getting into the Christmas spirit.."  
\--

After Clint and Laura woke, the children all carried their gifts out to the loungeroom to open them.

While Wanda enjoyed her own gifts, of course, she discovered, perhaps for the first time, the joy that could be found in giving rather than simply receiving. Watching the look of happiness on Vision's face as he opened the rest of his gifts.

A Hufflepuff scarf knitted by Laura.

A few books he'd said he might like.

Packs of sweets from Carol and Scott.

A Gobstones set of his own.

All little things, but they meant the world to Vision, who had so far grown up with nothing, and Wanda was happy to have played some small part in giving them to him.

Later, as they all sat down for Christmas lunch Vision, too, experienced a rather significant first.

Sitting beside Wanda in their matching sweaters listening to the laughter and chatter around the table, Clint telling off Cooper and Pietro for some prank or other, Laura dishing extra food onto his plate, repeatedly reminding him that he could have as much as he wanted, Vision felt happy. He felt like he belonged.

For the very first time, Vision felt at Home.


End file.
